The Nigerian Government has pledged ongoing support for the education of special needs learners, aiming to remove barriers to quality education across the country.
This commitment was announced by the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Hamid Bobboyi during a capacity-building workshop for selected teachers on the Inclusive Education Delivery Process in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Bobboyi highlighted that two percent of the Nigerian Government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund is allocated as an intervention fund specifically for the implementation of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) program, with a focus on special needs education. He stated, “Since the implementation of the UBE program began in Nigeria, significant attention has been given to special needs education. This intervention will continue to ensure that more learners receive the support they need to access quality education.”
The commission has partnered with private providers to enhance the design and implementation of programs tailored to meet the educational needs of children with special requirements. According to Bobboyi, the 2022/2023 national personnel audit revealed that out of 1,019 Special Basic Schools, 515 were government-run, serving 124,867 learners, while 405 private schools enrolled 51,140 learners.
During the workshop, Hajia Aisha Abdul, Director of Special Programs at UBEC, praised the commission for building the capacity of an additional 1,878 teachers, which includes 50 selected teachers from 25 conventional schools and two from each of the 14 operational SMART schools nationwide, focusing on inclusive education implementation processes.
